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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · last · ruler · ball · wake · fan · stem · patient

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. ball — a great time
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. last — to go on
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. last — finally
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. key — in music
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wake — a trail
  22. key — the most important part
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. key — for a lock

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com